Loden Foundation is a registered Civil Society Organisation in Bhutan established to support education, promote entrepreneurship amongst the young Bhutanese men and women in Bhutan and promote Bhutan tradition and culture. Its three core programmes areas include the Loden Education Initiatives, Loden Entrepreneurship Programme, and Loden Culture Programme. Mission To foster an enlightened and happy society through promotion of education, social entrepreneurship and Bhutan's tradition and culture. History and beginnings The Loden Foundation was founded on 24 May 2000 by the Bhutanese scholar Lopen Karma Phuntsho who came to study as a graduate student at Balliol College in 1997. He met Mr. Robert Miles, the head porter of the college during his course of studies and Mr. Miles offered to sponsor the school education of a young child in need. Mr. Miles extended the support because he did not finish school education in his youth due to financial circumstances. Karma found a bright girl from a low-income family in rural Bhutan for Mr. Miles to support. Following this example, many friends of Karma showed interest to support education of children in Bhutan. Meanwhile, Karma's former school headmistress and acclaimed Bhutanese writer Kunzang Choden who was living in central Bhutan, joined him to identify children in need and distribute funds. On 24 May 2000, Karma formalised the process by founding the Loden Foundation with the help of some friends but the organisation was constituted in Bhutan in 2003. On 12 March 2010, Loden became one of the first organizations in Bhutan to register as a Civil Society Organization under the Civil Society Organizations Act of Bhutan, 2007, under the leadership of the Civil Society Organizations Authority. Today, the main office is based in Thimphu and run by a team of 10 employee in the management team and 6 early learning centre facilitators headed by Mr. Phuntsho Namgay, with an advisory support from the governing Board of Trustees composed of 7 prominent Bhutanese citizens and 1 French citizen. The foundation is a partner of some of the world's leading non-governmental organisations such as Prince's Youth Business International, Global Entrepreneurship Week, Entrepreneurs' Organisation, Swiss Development Corporations, Youth Business International (YBI), Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and many more. Loden and its logo Tibetan/Bhutanese word Loden (བློ་ལྡན་ wylie: blo ldan) literally means "possessing intelligence". It is an epithet of the learned and wise. It is one of the names of the Buddha of Wisdom, of Padmasambhava,